The term EARTH ORBITOR OF YORE is a crossword solution for the three-letter word MIR. MIR was a Soviet space station that operated in low Earth orbit from 1986 to 2001. It was the first modular space station and held the record for the longest continuous human presence in space until the International Space Station surpassed it in 2010. The station was visited by astronauts from many countries, including the United States, and was the site of numerous scientific experiments.